Monday, July 30, 2012

Apple, Google Makes Cord-Cutting Easier - More Needs To Be Done

I’ve cut the cord a long time ago. The only paid service I’ve got is Netflix streaming )and at times, I don’t even know why I have it given the limited content). Netflix, Hulu, and an assortment of other online video content that is available, maybe you should take a long hard look at your entertainment needs and consider cutting your cord if you haven’t already.

Consider this: Google’s Nexus Q has sold out even at the high price of $300. And the Q is really nothing more than a very expensive device for Android users to stream videos and images onto your HDTV from an Android devices. Again, at $300 per unit, which is more than Apple’s hobby, Xbox 360, and PS3, the Nexus Q managed to sell out.

And speaking of Apple’s hobby, the Apple TV, does a bit more and while it costs only $100, it does have a new function when Apple released the latest OS X. Rather, newer Macs gained a new function: Airplay ability – allows users to mirror whatever it is on the screen of their Macbook through the Apple TV and onto the HDTV.

Folks, right about now, content owners should be quivering and panicking right about now. Instead of being respected by the Hulu app, Mac owners can how use the Web-based Hulu site to stream content. The same goes for shows on ABC, NBC, FOX, and anyone else that had previously respected viewing access on mobile.

Obviously, users with devices that support HDMI has been doing this for a while now but the ability to do this without making sure your device is sitting next to your TV does take this to another level.

The question comes back to cutting your cable or SAT TV cord. There are still definitely more desktop-based contents than for mobile. But content owners will have to realize that the living dynamics has changed.

Soon, everyone will be streaming content. Artificial restrictions like this placed on Hulu will go away. Makes zero sense that content you can watch freely on the Hulu site is not available on the Hulu app. And to top it off, not all paid content are available for the mobile apps.

Soon these barriers will have to come down. And the sooner more of us cut off the $100 a month bill to the cable guys, the faster these walls will crumble and force newer consumer friendly business models.

And as competition between Apple, Google, and Microsoft heat up in the living room, I think whatever innovations and new features that will be coming out will also hasten this cord-cutting phenomenon.